I originally wrote about my pattern organizing system when I installed this expandable drying rack in our condo was back in 2014.
Recently it caught a few eyes on Instagram, so I thought I would share an update for new readers and anyone looking to do a little spring cleaning in their sewing room.
I am happy to report that 3 years later, in a new house, it is still an incredibly valuable organizing tool for my sewing room.
However, it doesn’t get to be the focus of any of the photoshoots. For the past two years, it was on the side of the cutting table that faced the window, away from any picture I might for this blog. There is sat, patiently holding my patterns until it was time to switch projects.
Now with a slight pivot of my cutting table, the pattern rack is at the center of the sewing room and visible for you all to admire.
The rack has 7 rungs to hang fabric or patterns on, expanding almost two feet out to give you easy access to each rung and then collapsing back to about 6 inches for compact storage.
Not only does it hold paper, but when I am dealing with long cuts of fabric, I can extend the rack and it works to hold the weight of the fabric and prevent it from sliding off the table. Sometimes it even holds my laptop.
My cutting table is sizable but if I have multiple active projects, I start to run out of room to keep everything in sight. I don’t like to fold pattern pieces I am currently using because folds makes them harder to work with – whether I am waiting for the fabric to finish pre-washing or still the patterns are still being edited through the fitting process. But I can’t leave them draped over my cutting table (I need that for cutting or pinning) and I can’t leave them on the floor.
Case in point.
The cat always loved tissue paper patterns. And now a puppy who isn’t fully house trained is traipsing through my sewing room.
The rack comes with two sets of brackets (presumably so you could move the drying rack in your laundry room between two places). The brackets have holes for screws if you are attaching to a wall. I opted for heavy duty 3M adhesive wall mounts to hold the brackets to the sides of my IKEA shelves/cutting table.
If you are thinking of getting one for yourself, this is the one I bought online at Amazon. I don’t remember it costing $40, but it has been 3 years. There are other expandable clothes drying racks on Amazon for a range of prices depending on the material they are made of.
Happy Spring Cleaning and Happy Sewing!
The Fabric Alchemist 
I need one of those! Another thing to add to my wishlist.
Brilliant! I could use one of those to hang up the papers I buy for book binding.
Very interesting idea! I shall remember this when I rebuild my sewingroom.
This is very clever. I currently use pattern hooks and have most of my patterns hanging on a wardrobe rack, like garments. Or I store them flat on a shelf under my cutting table. Neither of which is convenient for current patterns being used. I may need to adapt something like this.
I still haven’t sorted out my long-term pattern storage. Some are in binders (sheet protectors), PDF printouts are rolled up in the closet and commercial pattern packages are in a different box. That is my next area of organization.
This rack is available at Howard’s Storage World for anyone from Australia